Choe Hyon-class
North Korean guided-missile destroyer commissioned in 2026, the first with VLS and phased-array radar.
| Subtype | Guided-missile destroyer |
| Displacement | 5000 tons |
| Width | 16.0 m (52.5 ft) |
| Length | 144.5 m (474.1 ft) |
- 88 × VLS cells of various sizes for ballistic, cruise and surface-to-air missiles
- 1 × 127 mm or 130 mm naval gun
- 1 × Pantsir-ME close-in weapon system
- 2 × 30 mm CIWS
- 4 × 4 anti-ship missile launchers
- 2 × 2 533 mm torpedo tubes
- 8 × 14.5 mm heavy machine guns
- 1 helicopter or UAV (flight deck)
Description
The Choe Hyon-class is a class of guided-missile destroyers of the Korean People's Navy and the most ambitious surface combatants ever built by North Korea. First unveiled on 30 December 2024, the roughly 5,000-ton, 144-meter ships are the first vessels in the North Korean fleet to carry phased-array radars and a vertical launching system. The lead ship is named after Choe Hyon, a guerrilla commander who later served as Minister of the People's Armed Forces.
The design centers on a battery of 88 vertical launch cells of several different sizes, intended to fire a mix of ballistic, cruise and surface-to-air missiles. It is complemented by a 127 mm or 130 mm naval gun, a Russian-designed Pantsir-ME close-in weapon system, additional 30 mm CIWS turrets, four quadruple anti-ship missile launchers and two twin 533 mm torpedo tubes. The presence of the Pantsir-ME has fueled speculation about Russian technical assistance to the program. A flight deck aft can accommodate a helicopter or unmanned aerial vehicle.
The lead ship Choe Hyon was launched at Nampo on 25 April 2025 after roughly a year of construction. The second ship, Kang Kon, capsized during a botched side launch at Chongjin on 21 May 2025, an accident publicly acknowledged by state media; the hull was righted and successfully relaunched on 12 June 2025. Choe Hyon was commissioned on 23 June 2026, becoming North Korea's first operational guided-missile destroyer. A third ship began construction in July 2025 with completion targeted for October 2026, and a fourth was reported under construction in April 2026.
At the commissioning ceremony, Kim Jong Un announced a five-year plan to build two Choe Hyon-class destroyers per year, alongside a planned 10,000-ton cruiser. The class conducted repeated weapons tests during 2025 and 2026, including cruise missile firings observed by the North Korean leadership, and represents the centerpiece of Pyongyang's effort to field a blue-water navy.